Published: May 06, 2009 11:18 pm      

Storm system takes it easy on area

David Sharp, director of the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency in Meridian, said late Wednesday afternoon although there were some warnings and watches throughout the area Wednesday with an approaching line of thunderstorms, he didn't really see anything that would've been a serious threat.

"From the reports I've received, and some are unconfirmed at this time, the northwest part of the state did sustain some damage," said Sharp. "Winston County, Neshoba County and parts of Attala County had some power outages, trees down and some homes damaged from high winds."

In Lauderdale County thunderstorm watches and warnings issued by the National Weather Service in Jackson were on and off throughout the afternoon. But the only thing the area received was periods of heavy rain.

According to Associated Press reports, more than 100 homes and businesses were damaged throughout the South by strong winds, heavy rains and golf ball-sized hai.

Strong winds downed trees onto mobile homes in Arkansas, where several people suffered broken bones. Storm debris blocked roads and damaged houses in north Mississippi and Alabama. Tornado warning sirens interrupted students taking final exams at the University of Alabama in Tuscaloosa and power was knocked out to thousands across the region.

Stiff winds and heavy rains blew through a central Alabama campground near the Mississippi line near Pickensville.

"I really think the line had lost most of its punch before it reached us," Sharp said. "We were watching winds speeds fall throughout the afternoon so we weren't really too worried this time around."

Sharp said the unstable weather conditions could create the same scenarios today.